Figure toy



Patented m 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE...

JOHN A. SPENCER, 0E REVERE, MASSACHUSETTS. ASSIGNOR r0 SPENCER 'rnnmaosmr COMPANY, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF EIGURE TOY.

MASSACHUSETTS.

Application filed 0ctober23, 1924. Serial No. 745,410.

Objects of the invention are to provide a thermostatically controlled toy which is designed to jump into the air a considerable distance; and to provide a toy which is simfile in its construction, easy to operate, and

as the new and improved features of construction and scribed.

For the purpose of illustration one concrete embodiment of the invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the toy showing in dot and dash lines the toy in its impelled position; and

Fig. 2. is an enlarged rear elevation of the to a lhe embodiment of the invention ilhutrated comprises a fanciful figure A, in this instance a doll of celluloid or other light, non-breakable material which is suitably colored to present a pleasing and attractive appearance. Connected to the doll is a thermostatic disk B the construction and operation of which is hereinafter described.

The doll A is mounted in such a manner that it can swivel on the disk although yieldingly held in an upright position at all times. For this purpose a pin 1 having a head 2 extends througha hole in the'disk and into the doll and'the opposite end of the pin is bent to form a hook 3. Encircling the neck of the doll is a band 4 of rubber or other suitable elastic material which exteiids through a hole 5 in the back of the doll and engages the hook 3. It will readily be observed that swiveling of the doll is permitted 'on the disk and although it may be rocked to any position it will always be re.- turned to a position at substantially right angles to the disk owing to the connection described.

The disk Bis preferably bi-metallic being made up of two materials, such as iron and brass having different thermal coeflicients of expansion so that a change in temperature will cause unequal expansion and contraction of opposite faces of the disk; This disk B is normally cupped (as by swaging) in such direction that the component part having the higher coefficient of expansion is on the concave side. Consequently upon raisarrangementhereinafter deing the temperature the unequal expansionof the materials forming the disk will cause a tendency to flatten the cupped surface until at a predetermined temperature a sudden curving in the opposite direction occurs, which reversal of shape will be maintained until the temperature has been substantially. lowered. Thereafter upon reaching a 'sub-. stantially predetermined temperature the sheet will suddenly return to its initial Shape. In both of these movements the reversal of curvature is exceedingly abrupt and is caused by the expansion and contraction of the materials of which the thermostatic sheet is composed. The materials and thickness of the component parts and the degree of curvature are so chosen thatthe disk willremain cupped in one direction when above a predetermined temperature '(e. g. F.) and will sna back when below, this temperature. Suitable materials are sheet brass and nickel steel having thickness of .0075 '6 and .0075 respectively and suitable cupping for a disk one inch in diameter is inch.

It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to anyv particular combination of materials having different thermal coefficients of expansion but is intended to embrace in its scope any combination of materials having dissimilar thermal coefl'icients of expansion suflicient to cause the characteristic reversal of curvature. Furthermore, the two materials comprising the composite thermostatic sheet may be secured together in any desired manner by riveting, soldering, brazing or otherwise, although it is preferred to unite the materials comprising the sheet by welding or similar means to. secure a substantially indithe toy the disk B-is heated so that the curvature when cupped in either Fig. 1. The uncertainty of the exact time when the toy will jump creates no little I a fanciful celluloid ferent coefficients of expansion,

amount of interest and affords considerable amusement and excitement. Owing to the extreme simplicity of construction and great resiliency of the disk the toy can be operated indefinitely without liability of breakage or the parts getting out of order.

I claim:

1. A toy comprising the combination with a fanciful figure of a thermostatic member connected to said figure, said thermostatic member comprising a sheet consisting of a plurality of united components having difa portion of said components being normally cupped but tending to flatten in response to tempera ture change in one sense, thereby setting up stresses which oppose said tendency until a predetermined temperature is reached, the stresses then abruptly changing the shape of the cupped portion thereby to create sufficient force to impelsaid member and figure from a position of rest.

2. A toy comprising the combination with a fanciful figure of a thermostatic disk resiliently connected to said figure, said disk comprising a bi-metallic sheet having different coeflicients of expansion on opposite sides and being normally flexed in one direction, the peripheral portion of the disk being adapted to be stressed by differential expansion of said opposite sides with change of temperature until a predetermined temperature is reached, whereupon the stresses ecome effective abruptly to change the curvature of the disk thereby to create sufficient force to impel said disk and figure from a position of rest. I

3. A toy comprising the combination with figure of a thermostatic disk, means for yieldingly holding said figure in an upright position to the disk, said disk comprising a composite sheet of bimetallic elements having diiferent coefficients of expansion on opposite sides of the sheet, the disk being normally concave and the peripheral portion thereof being adapted to be stressed by differential expansion of the opposite sides of the sheet until a predetermined temperature is reached, whereupon the stresses become effective abruptly to reverse the curvature of the concave disk thereby to create sufficient force to impel said disk and figure from a position of rest.

4:- A toy comprising the combination with a fanciful figure of a cupped thermostatic disk resiliently connected to said figure, said disk comprising portions arranged to react upon each other with change of temperature to set up stresses the magnitude of which changes upon change of temperature, at least one of'the portions being formed of components having different coefiicients of expansion, the disk reaching a condition of instability at a predetermined temperature by virtue of the arrangement of said portions and as a result of the change of temperature, whereupon said stresses become effective to change abruptly the relative position of'said portions whereby when heated and concaved downwardly and placed on a relatively cool surface the toy will jump after the sheet has cooled to said predetermined temperature.

, 5. A toy comprising the combination with a fanciful celluloid figure, a thermostatic disk and means for resiliently connecting said figure to the disk to permit swiveling, the disk comprising a composite sheet of bi-metallic elements having different coefficients of expansion on opposite sides of the sheet, said disk being normally concave in one direction and tending to flatten in response to temperature change in one sense, thereby setting up stresses which oppose said tendency until a predetermined tem-' perature is reached, the stresses then abruptly changing the curvature of the disk where-. 

